Technical Field
The invention relates to a submarine communications cable having optical conductors surrounded by an electrically conductive tube, an armoring which surrounds the tube externally and which is surrounded by a jacket layer, and an external insulation. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the production of a submarine communications cable, wherein a tube with optical conductors arranged in its interior is provided with an outer armoring and with a jacket layer and an external insulation being applied around the armoring, as well as to a device for the production of a submarine communications cable, having an apparatus for the formation of a tube which surrounds optical conductors, an apparatus for the stranded application, if necessary, of an armoring to the tube, an apparatus for the production of a jacket layer which encloses the armoring, and an apparatus for generating an external insulation.
Prior Art
Submarine communications cables have a core comprising optical fibers surrounded by a copper tube. In order to increase its tensile and compressive strength, this tube is surrounded by an armoring which, for example, is formed from stranded steel wires. The armoring is held together by a wrapping, for example a jacket layer, which in the case of known submarine communications cables is formed from a copper tube. The latter serves at the same time as an electrical conductor. Finally, this external copper tube is surrounded by an external insulation.
One significant disadvantage of the submarine communications cable described above is posed by the copper tube of the jacket layer which surrounds the armoring made of steel wires. The production of the copper tube and also the embedding of the cable core in the surrounding steel wires of the armoring is a very complicated process. In addition, the material costs of the outer copper tube make submarine communications cables more expensive. Finally, the outer copper tube reduces the flexibility of the known submarine communications cable.